Issit sad if a kid dies? Sure. Doesn't man you should isolate them from anything that could potentially harm them, as such babying is also harmful over the long run.
It should be your choice to wear one.
If your kid can't swim, it's your job to teach them or keep them safe. If you're not doing that, should it not be on you, that Childs parent, to deal with it?
Where does personal responsibility start, and social intervention begin? Autonomy, responsibility, individuality are the things that should be under discussion... Not save the children.
You might think that's harsh but add in privacy to the above list, and make the topic "searching all your pictures for CP" (as some laws are attempting to do) it suddenly becomes over-reach.
WHy is it your job, or any one else's, to tell someone what they should do for their own good?
Cars are unsafe we should ban them. People might drown we should mandate swimming lessons...
It's an arbitrary line, and why is one different than any other?
The line isn't quiet as arbitrary as you make it sound. Itd be a different story if your health insurance wouldn't have to pay if you didn't wear it etc. There is also the extra inconvenience of having the road blocked for extended periods of time whenever someone offs themselves etc.
Pretty much every personal safety regulation happens because other people are getting impacted/inconvenienced in some way
That is needless. Suffering a tiny little bit from losing the option to play with floatation devices is still suffering.